Memorable Times
by Shadowed Secretz
Summary: Some days, more than others, are worth looking back at. A collection of short stories and oneshots. Mostly KK
1. Midnight Swim

**Midnight Swim**

She jerked awake with a strangled sob, her sweat covered body tangled in her bed sheets. Running a trembling hand through her long raven tresses as she sat up, the woman turned her dark azure eyes to the digital clock at her nightstand.

With a groan, Kamiya Kaoru untangled her creamy legs from the silk sheets and swung them over to land on the summer warm wooden floor.

The red numbers on the nightstand informed her it was nearly midnight, and past experience told her she would not be able to sleep for a few hours.

Walking out of the room, she grabbed the fluffy pink bathrobe lying near the door and pulled it on over her 'Cant sleep...the clowns are out to get me!' green T-shirt.

She went on autopilot through the living room and into the kitchen. Her whole apartment consisted of a bathroom, a bedroom, a combined living room and kitchen, a tiny storeroom, and a balcony.

It was small, but for Kaoru it was perfect. She never liked big empty houses anyway.

Fishing a glass from the cabinets above the kitchen unit, she turned on the sink and let the water run until it was cold enough to satisfy her.

Turning of the sink once the glass was full, she let her bare feet guide her out onto the balcony overlooking the small pool area that was shared between three apartment buildings.

Welcoming the cool breeze caressing her face, she leaned against the railing and took a sip of the water in her hand.

Chugging down the rest of the water in a hurry, Kaoru though it was the perfect weather for a late night swim. The sky was bright with stars and a fat full moon, there was barely any wind, and the temperature was surprisingly hot for the lack of sun.

Setting the empty glass in the sink, Kaoru went back into her room and stripped off her bathrobe, t-shirt and thong. Replacing them with a blue bikini and a camouflage mini skirt.

Grabbing a fluffy red towel from the cabinets beneath the sink in the bathroom and throwing the dirty clothes in the laundry basket, she headed out the door and stopped to wait for the elevator.

The building contained five floors, Kaoru lived on the fourth. She never bothered with the stairs if it could be helped.

Three minutes later found Kaoru sitting on the edge of the pool, her towel and skirt thrown carelessly onto one of the sun beds.

She lowered herself navel deep into the water before letting go of the edge and plunging under the water. Surfacing for oxygen, she dully noted that the water reached her just above her breast, leaving the rest of her body under the lit water.

After swimming a few laps back and forth, she rested her arms on the pool edge and let her lower body float around as it wished underneath her.

Kaoru released a content sigh and rested her head in her hands, closing her eyes and enjoying the peace and quiet.

She wasn't aware of how much time passed as she dozed off and on. She didn't register the quiet feet padding toward her. Didn't hear the sound of a light thud as something hit neighbor sun-bed to the one with her skirt and towel.

But she did, however, feel the featherlike fingers on her forearm.

Feeling a shriek ripping out of her throat, her sleepy blue eyes jerked up to clash with laughing amber.

"Excuse me, miss. I didn't mean to startle you."

She exhaled shakily, feeling her heart in her throat. "No, it's okay. I was just a little gone." She smiled at the man.

He grinned back at her and sat down on the pool edge. "Do you mind if I join you in here?"

Kaoru laughed and let her eyes roam his lean body. Damn fine. "You know what they say: the more the merrier!" He slid into the water to stand beside her. "I don't think I've seen you around here before." Kaoru said with a thoughtful look on her face.

The red head had never broken eye contact. "Yeah, I just moved in a few days ago." He lifted an arm out of the water and pointed at the building Kaoru lived in. "Fourth floor, right end apartment."

Kaoru giggled. "Weird, you would have thought I'd notice getting a new neighbor! Kamiya Kaoru." She held out her hand. "Ever need anything, just bang on the wall and I'll know."

His amber eyes widened in pleasure. He took her smaller hand in his callous one and shook it gently. "Himura Kenshin." He held her hand a little longer than necessary, bringing a blush to Kaoru's cheeks.

"So, you settled in yet, Himura-san?" Kaoru asked, trying to start a conversation as she swam backwards away from the man in front of her.

"Please, just Kenshin." He told her and followed her through the water. "I know next to nothing about this town, and I still have to pack up around half of my furniture before I'm free to start exploring and look for a job."

"Really? I could help you. I know my way around pretty well, and I can lift heavy objects if you should want any help unpacking." Kaoru offered.

"Thank you, Kamiya-"

"Kaoru." Kaoru insisted.

Kenshin flashed her a knee weakening smile, fortunately for her gravity didn't have much of a say when you swam around in a tiny pool. "Kaoru, thanks for the offer, it would be greatly appreciated."

They swam around for quiet a while, making small talk and some times just swimming around in a comfortable silence.

An hour later, they parted ways in front of Kaoru's apartment door with a quick promise of seeing each other the next day.

As Kaoru changed into a comfortable t-shirt and panties, she couldn't help but smile as Kenshin came to mind.

He was nice, extremely sexy, smart, single, and seemed interested. No way was she going to let this guy walk away without taking a shot.

She woke the next morning by her doorbell echoing loudly. Moaning, she quickly changed into a pair of gray drawstring pants and a black tube top. Jogging to the door, she opened it to find a grinning Kenshin outside.

"What time is it?" She groaned and ran a hand through her messy hair.

Kenshin's grin turned sheepish. "Sorry, it's only 8:30 am. I know I should have come a little later, but I made breakfast. But I didn't want to eat alone so I thought I'd ask you to join me."

Kaoru smiled sweetly at him, flattered by his actions. It would be impossible to stay mad at this guy if he used that face every time he got in trouble with her.

"Of course, I'd love to join you." She replied. "Just give me a sec to freshen up a little." She motioned for him to wait inside the door.

He nodded and moved to close the door behind him. He watched her as she walked away with observant eyes. The amber brightening a little as they landed on her swaying hips and firm ass.

A minute later Kaoru walked out of the bathroom feeling better. With brushed teeth and hair, deodorant, and a little mascara and eyeliner adorned her eyes.

Kenshin's face lit in a smile when he saw her. He bowed playfully as she neared and offered his arm.

Kaoru giggled and hooked her arm with his.

Hours passed as they unpacked. So far they had unpacked the bedroom (Kaoru had fun unpacking his boxers and folding them nicely into his closet until Kenshin found her and told a laughing Kaoru to help with something else while he took over the task himself) and living room, they were halfway through the kitchen. Kenshin had done the bathroom a few days before.

The sun was setting when they decided to stop for the day. Exhausted and hungry, they plopped down on the couch as Kenshin called and treated her to Chinese takeout.

"They'll be here in twenty minutes." Kenshin said and grabbed the remote control, turning on the TV. "Hope you don't mind the wait." He apologized.

Kaoru waved it away dismissingly, feeling content sitting so close to him. She could feel the heat rolling off his body, could even smell the familiar scent of ginger and mint she had quickly learned to associate with Kenshin.

Turning her attention to the TV, she snorted at the commercial for the new cinema movie. "That's a horrible movie." She commented.

"So then I guess you wouldn't go see it with me?" He asked grinning, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"No." Kaoru giggled. "But I heard that Blood Diamond is pretty good."

Kenshin laughed.


	2. Can You Draw Me?

**Can You Draw Me?

* * *

**

I put my brush to the paper and drew the outline of Kaoru's face. Then I added a few brushstrokes to start her hair. "Hold still." I said. "You can't move until I get the basic lines in."

She giggled. "Kenshin, you look so serious. It's rather cute!"

I could feel the heat rising in my cheeks. The truth is, I had a major crush on Kaoru. And I wanted this painting to be awesomely good. I desperately wanted to impress her.

She leaned back on the edge of my bed, her hands behind her pressed on the quilt. Her blue-tinted raven hair was pulled back in a lazy ponytail. She wore a blue turtleneck sweater over faded jeans.

The late-afternoon sun poured through my bedroom window, spreading a warm, orange glow over the room. Kaoru kept a smile frozen on her face, which made two big dimples appear on her cheeks.

"How did you get interested in painting?" Her soft voice echoed pleasantly in my ears.

I leaned over my drawing board and started to outline her eyes. "You won't believe it," I said. "But I saw one of those ads in the local newspaper, It had a girl's face in it. And it said: 'Can you draw me?'"

The brush slipped, and I accidentally dabbed a smudge of black paint over her left eye. I'd just gotten these brushes, and I wasn't used to them.

"It was some kind of contest." I continued. "I sent my drawings in-and I won. I won art lessons with this old guy who lives downtown. Shawn Smith. He used to be a very famous magazine illustrator."

"Was he a good teacher?" Kaoru asked.

"The best!" I said. "I don't know how he did it. But ever since those lessons, I can draw anybody-no problem."

"Cool." Kaoru said. She stretched her arms. "Are you almost finished? I can't wait to see it."

Before I could answer, I heard heavy, thudding footsteps-and Flash came waddling into the room. The big chimpanzee uttered a few _hoo hoo hoo_'s and jumped onto Kaoru's lap.

Kaoru let out a starlet cry and fell off the bed with the chimp on top of her.

"Ayako!" I yelled for my little sister. She instantly appeared in the doorway. "Ayako-you're supposed to be watching Flash! "I said angrily. "How come he got away from you?"

"Because he's a chimp, that's why!" Ayako always has a smart answer for everything.

Kaoru shoved the chattering chimp off and struggled to her feet. "He's heavy!"

Ayako tugged Flash back to her room. "I'm sorry." I apologized. "Are you okay? Dad is always bringing pets home from the animal hospital where he works. Flash is a total pest. Fortunately he'll soon be going back to wherever he came from."

"He's kind of cute." He mood was knocked up a few notches when she smiled at me. "He just surprised me, that's all." She returned to her perch on the bed.

Just my luck. I try to impress a girl, and a chimpanzee knocks her to the floor.

"Dad brought two macaws home yesterday." I said. "Hear them? They're down in the living room, screeching their heads off. We even had a little pig running around the house last week!"

Kaoru laughed heartily. "You live in a zoo!"

I leaned over the drawing board and concentrated on the painting. I carefully sketched in the mouth. Kaoru was the coolest girl in my tenth-grade class. I couldn't believe it when she agreed to pose for me. I knew I had to make this my best portrait ever.

I changed the eyes. I wasn't happy with them. Then I carefully sketched the nose. I worked quickly. The new brush glided easily over the paper.

"How much longer?" Kaoru asked.

"Not much." I said. "I'm just going to fill in some details."

"Does it really look like me?" She asked.

"You'll see." I replied.

And then my hand made a sharp movement across the page. Whoa, I thought. Why did I do that?

I dipped the brush into the jar of paint. I wanted to fill in the hair, but my hand guided the brush to the mouth. I made several sharp strokes.

"Hey!" I cried out.

"What's wrong?" Kaoru was quick to ask.

"Nothing." I said. But something was terribly wrong.

My hand-it was moving on its own!

The brush painted in lines over Kaoru's cheeks and forehead. Then it moved to her mouth and started drawing furiously.

I grabbed my hand and tried to pull it away from the page. But it wouldn't budge.

This is _crazy!_ I thought. This is not happening!

My hand is drawing without me! I have no control. No control at all!

A wave of panic swept through my body with shudder. I struggled to control the brush, but it kept moving over the page.

I could feel cold sweat rolling down my forehead. This is terrifying! What is happening to me?

Suddenly Kaoru jumped up and crossed the room. "Let me see it!" She demanded. "I can't wait any longer."

"No!" I shouted. "It-it isn't ready!"

"I don't care." She grinned mischievously at me. "Now let me see this supposed masterpiece!"

I tried to cover it with my body, but Kaoru grabbed the painting off the drawing board and turned it around to get a better look.

"Kenshin!" She shrieked. "It's gross! Why did you do this?"

She held the paper between her hands. In the painting her forehead and cheeks were covered with deep, open scars. And a hairy bucktoothed rat poked out of her open mouth.

"I-I-I didn't!" I sputtered.

She let out a furious cry and ripped the painting in half. "You're not funny." She cried angrily. "You're not funny, you're just gross." Then she stormed out of the room.

"But Kaoru-" I called after her.

A few seconds later I heard the front door slam shut behind her.

"How did that happen?" I asked out loud in a trembling voice. "How?" I stared at my hand, as if it could answer.

* * *

I barely ate dinner. I told mom and dad I wasn't feeling too well. Up in my room I couldn't concentrate on my homework. 

I kept thinking about my painting of Kaoru with the rat poking out of her mouth. I couldn't stop thinking about how my hand had moved, out pf my control, ruining the painting.

I went to bed early, but I couldn't sleep.

A little after midnight I climbed out of bed and turned on the ceiling light. Then I made my way to the drawing table.

I had to prove to myself that I could still paint. I had to prove that I wasn't crazy or something.

I set up a mirror on my drawing table. Then I put a fresh sheet of paper down and picked up one of my new brushes.

I dipped the brush into a fresh jar of paint and began to draw myself. My shocking lilac eyes moved from the mirror to the drawing. I started with the eyes this time. Then I sketched my straight nose and thin lips.

So far, so good, I thought.

I moved to the hair. My hair was not easy to draw since it was so long and it shot out in a million gravity-defying directions from my failed sleep attempts.

The brush glided quickly. My hand felt sure and steady.

Yesss! I thought.

But I celebrated too early.

I dipped my brush into the paint again and lowered it to outline my face. I started on the chin-but my hand jerked to the side.

I stared in horror as it began to draw on its own. Drawing something where my neck should be.

"NO!" I screamed. I tugged with all my strength. But my other hand moved with incredible force.

I could only stand and watch it move around the paper. The hand was out of my control. It was moving on its own!

"No, no, no, NOO!" I shouted.

The bedroom door flew open. Mom and dad came running in in their pajamas, their hair tousled, their faces sleepy. "Kenshin-what's wrong?" They both cried.

Dad grabbed my painting from the table. They both stared at it.

It showed me with a noose around my neck. There was a bleeding cross-shaped scar on my cheek. My tongue was hanging out, and my eyes were bulging.

"Why did you paint this?" Dad scowled. "What are you doing up so late?"

"I-I don't know." I replied.

"Why did you paint such a sick thing?" Mom asked. "Is something troubling you, Kenshin? Something you want to talk about?"

"I-I don't know." I repeated again.

* * *

I stayed away from my drawing table for the rest of the week. I hid the paint jars and brushes in the closet. 

I didn't want to think about what had happened. Every time I pictured my hand moving on its own, I wanted to scream in horror.

On Monday I had no choice. I had to bring my paintbrushes to school. Mr. Genzai, the art teacher had chosen me and four other kids to paint a mural on the long art-room wall.

When I passed Kaoru in the hall, she walked right past me as though I wasn't there at all. Even though I had caller in the weekend to apologize.

I saw kids grinning at me. I guessed that Kaoru had told them what had happened.

I hurried to the art room. Kids were at their tables, waiting to watch us five artists go to work. "Remember people, the theme is _Japan the Beautiful_." Mr. Genzai said.

He guided me to the long end of the wall. "I saved this square for you, Kenshin." He said. "From here to the window. I see you brought your own brushes. What are you going to paint?"

I gazed at the blank white canvas. "A nature scene, I think." I answered. "A sakura tree and a lake, maybe someone resting under it."

"Sounds good." Mr. Genzai said. "Go to work." He moved on to the next artist, an eleventh-grade girl named Mio Yazaki.

I glanced down the line and realized I was the only tenth-grader. I'd better do a really good job, I thought.

I started with a pencil. I sketched a sakura tree near a lake. A family of four having a picnic under the tree and the kids playing around in the water.

Mr. Genzai moved up and down the row of artists, making comments and suggestions. "That looks very good, Kenshin." He said. "You can begin to paint now."

I carried paint jars over to my spot. Then I prepared my paint brushes.

My hand moved too quickly. The brush swept over my pencil sketch. I tried to control the brushstrokes. But once again my hand took off.

No - please! Please don't do this! I silently begged.

But I couldn't stop my hand.

I tried to drop the brush. But my fingers held tight. The brush kept moving up and down, drawing without me. Drawing on its own.

Am I going crazy?

"Kenshin, what are you doing?" I heard Mr. Genzai's alarmed cry from down the row. And I heard kids laughing.

My hand finished the kimono clad family. The four people were bending over, headless. Blood poured from their open necks. Their heads were on the gruond, being eaten by huge rats.

The The birds and fishe swere vomiting. Piles of puke were puddles around them. The sakura petals were spiked, and the tree semed to be rotten.

"Kenshin! I want you to stop this right now!" Mr. Genzai shouted angrily, his face red.

"I - I CAN'T STOP!" I shouted.

The kids erupted in laugher. They thought I was joking.

"HELP ME! MR. GENZAI - HELP ME!"

My hand pulled me to the side. I bumped into Mio Yazaki and kicked over her paint jars.

My brush attacked her drawing. I scrawled thick black lines over the city scene she had started. My hand scribbled and jabbed.

"Kenshin - get away!" Mio cried.

"I can't!" I shouted. "I can't stop it!"

My brush jabbed at Mio's face. I painted black smudges on her cheeks, then a zigzag line across her hair.

She shrieked and staggered back.

"HELP ME! SOMEBODY HELP ME!" I wailed.

The class had grown silent now.

My brush dipped into a red-paint jar. And I began scrawling ugly faces on the wall. On the floor. I swung away from the canvas and began to paint red bars on the windows.

"STOP ME! STOP ME!" The cry burst from my throat. The hand was jerking me one way, then the other. Painting. Painting. I couldn't stop it. "HEPL ME!"

Mr. Genzai rushed over. "Kenshin-what's wrong? Ger a grip on yourslef. I-"

My hand painted a thick red stripe down the center of his face. Then a stripedown the front of his sweater.

With a sputtering cry he grabbed my shoulders. I spun away from him, and my brush swiped down the sleeve of his sweater. He was covered in red paint. Then my hand moved to the art-room door and began painting on the door.

"I CAN'T STOP! CAN'T STOP!" I shrieked. "CAN'T ANYBODY HELP ME?"

* * *

My parents kept me home the next day. They couldn't decide whether to be angry or worried about me. So they were both.

I stayed in my room. I tried to read my schoolwork, but I just couldn't think straight. The macaws were chatting away downstairs. I turned the TV on with the sound real loud to drown them out. But I couldn't concentrate on it, either.

I couldn't believe when Mr. Genzai paid a surprise visit after school. My mother showed him to my room. "Kenshin is very sorry for what he did." She told the teacher, then she went downstairs and left us alone.

Mr. Genzai sat down at my desk. "How are you feeling today?" he asked.

"Okay." I replied. I apologized for what happened in class. "I...I can't really explain it." I said. I sat on the edge of my bed.

He studied me for a long while. "How long have you been interested in painting?" he finally asked.

"I didn't really get interested in it until I won some lessons. From an artist named Shawn Smith."

Mr. Genzai squinted at me. "Shawn Smith? I read in the papers he died three weeks ago."

I gasped. "Really? But I don't understand. I just finished my lessons with him a few weeks ago. And he...he sent me his brushed last week."

Mr. Genzai glanced at the paintbrushed on my drawing table. "Strange..." He muttered.

We talked a short while longer. Then Mr. Genzai made his way to the door. "I just wanted to make sure you are okay." He said. "That was frigthening yesterday."

"I think I'm alright." I said. "I'll definitively be back in school tomorrow."

He gave me a wave and headed downstairs. I could hear him talking to my mom.

I stepped up to the drawing table and studied the paintbrushes. I felt bad that Shawn Smith had died.

I picked up the long-handled brushed one by one. When did he send them? I wondered. How did they reach me two weeks after he died?

That night I fell asleep quickly. I dreamed that I was painting the sky. I wanted to paint white, fluffy clouds. But I couldn't reach high enough.

I was awakened by a scraping sound. "Huh? Who's there?" I whispered.

Blinkin myself awake, I raised my head from the pillow. I squinted into the dim light-and gasped.

The paintbrushed were floating in the air.

They scraped across the paper on the drawing table. Tilting, bobing, sliding up and down-the brushed were painting.

Painting without me!

"NO!" With a terrifyed cry, I leaped out of bed. I lurched across the room and made a grab for the brushes.

The brushes jerked and jabbed the air. I wrapped my hands around the handles and struggled to hold on to them.

My hands were pulled above my head. The brushes twirled and jerked, as if trying to escape. But I tightened my grip and held on.

I've got to get rid of them, I decided. I've got to get them out of this house. If I do, my life will go back to normal.

Squeezing the brush handles tightly, I crept downstairs. I made my way to the kitchen and stepped out the back door.

The ground was hard and cold under my bare feet. A chilling wind fluttered my pajamas. I ran across the wet grass to the back of the garage.

Four netal trash cans stood alonge the garage wall. I lifted the lid on the first can and tossed the brushes in. Then I skammed sown the lid and made sure it was on toght.

Shivering, I ran back into the house. I climbed into bed and pulled the covers up to my chin. I should sleep easily now. I thought I had won a big victory.

I didn't know that my brush troubles weren't over yet.

* * *

The next morning I peered through my bedroom window down to the backyard. "What?" I let out a hoarse cry when I saw that the first can was tipped over. 

I turned and saw the paintbrushes stacked on the side of my drawing table. "Oh no!" I moaned. "They're back!"

My heart pounding, I raced across the room and grabbed them. My parents were in the backyard talking to our neighbours. Holding the brushes tightly in both hands, I ran down the stairs to the basement.

I carried them past the laundry room to Dad's workshop. My dad is a real handyman, he has a lot of major-league tools.

I flicked on the switch on Dad's table saw. Of course, I'm not allowed to use it. But this was an emergency.

The saw hummed to life. The round, jagged blade began to spin. Holding the ends of the brushes, I slid them toward the blade.

"Goodbye, brushes!" I shouted.

The big blade made a whining sound as it grated against the first wooden brush handle.

To my shock the wood didn't split. The brush bounced off. The blade couldn't cut through it!

I tried again, pushing the brush against the whirring blade. The blade whined-and bent. The brush bounced off, unharmed.

No. This is impossible, I thougth. This can't be happening.

I shut off the table saw. I grabbed a blowtorch from the floor beside the worktable. I _definitively_ was not allowed to use this. But I didn't care. I was in a total panic. I had to destroy these brushes-before they ruined my life!

I set the brushes on the concrete floor. Then I lit the blowtorch. A bright-blue flame burst out with a roar.

"Yikes!"

Startled, I nearly dropped the heavy thing onto the floor. But I held on and aimed the flame at the brushes.

And waited for them to burn. And waited

The brushes didn't burn.

Cold panic swept over me. I stared at the brushes lying unharmed under the powerful, hot flame.

I'll take them far away, I thought. Maybe I can mail them to another country. Or maybe I can bury them.

I turned off the blowtorch. Then I gathered up the brushes and carried them back to my room.

I tried to drop them onto my drawing table, but the brushes stuck to my hand.

I struggled to uncurl my fingers, to let the brushes fall. But instead my fingers tightened around the handles.

"No! No! No!" I chanted, squirming, pulling, twisting, fighting the power of the brushes.

But I no longer had control of my hands. They were dipping the brushes into paint, moving to the paper on the drawing board.

"No! No! No!"

I couldn't stop them. I couldn't free myself from them.

The brushes scraped across the paper, writing words in fat red letters.

"No! No!"

I gasped in horror at the message the brushes had written:

YOUR HANDS ARE MINE NOW. WE WILL PAINT TOGETHER-FOREVER.

The message done, the paintbrushes dropped from my hands beside the paper.

I was gasping for breath, My entire body trembles. I stared down at them. How can I get rid of these brushes? _How?_

Then suddenly, I had an idea.

* * *

A month later Kaoru and I were at her house, watching a news-magazine show on TV in her den. Kaoru started toward the kitchen to make popcorn, but I pulled her back. "It's coming on now." I said. "Watch."

She sat back down, and we watched my dad appear on the TV show. The camera backed up, and we could see Flash holding Dad's hand. The chimp was all dressed up in a silvery suit.

Dad led Flash to a drawing table. Flash sat down , picked up a long-handled brush, and started to paint.

"This is amazing!" The TV reporter exclaimed. "He's painting monsters. His paintings are strange and ugly, but this chimp paints better than most humans!"

The camera caught a big smile on Dad's face. "That's why we're selling Flash's work to museums all over the world." He said.

The camera moved in close on Flash's hands as the chimp changed brushes and continued to paint.

"How did this happen?" The reporter asked Dad. "How did you discover this chimp had so much talent?"

Dad smiled into the camera. "It was an accident, really. My son Kenshin gave Flash an extra set of brushes-and the rest is history!"

Flash jumped up and down and uttered a _hoo hoo hoo _as his hands moved the brushes over the paper.

Kaoru turned to me. "Kenshin, don't you feel bad?" She asked. "You're so serious about your paintings. Aren't you jealous that Flash is such a famous artist?"

A big smile spread over my face. "Me? Jealous?" I said. "No way!" And i settled back to watch Flash paint.


	3. Late Walk

**Late Walk**

* * *

She drew a shaky breath. No matter how many times she walked home at night, she never got used to the creepy feeling of someone watching her from the shadows. It seems to follow her everywhere.

There were no one else in sight, but what could you expect at 2:30 am on a workday? Those who were still out were either at a bar getting wasted or driving home in their cars, not walking down a ghost street. And not to mention the temperature, it was bloody freezing!

It was times like this she wished she would have taken one of her friends up on their offers of a ride home, but as always she had to be stubborn and forget how scary it was out in the streets after midnight.

Oh well, no use crying over spilled milk. Her back straightening and the pace quickening, she glanced up at the sky to find it pitch black. No stars, no moon. Just black.

Shivering as a sudden chill washed through the lit street, she pulled her jacket closer around herself and hunched her shoulders against the cold.

Quickly looking around for shelter, but the only thing open was the nightclub further down the street. But everyone knew all the nightclubs in this area had bad reputations. Fights were extremely common and people ending up in hospitals for pumping were nothing new. Not to mention the half naked prostitutes running around.

"Hey babe…"

She whipped around; startled that someone had snuck up on her.

"Sooo…how bout ya come with me…" He stumbled closer and leaned against the concrete wall. She wrinkled her nose in disgust, he reeked of alcohol and smoke. Once he realized he was not getting an answer he smirked at her and held out a bottle toward her. "Wanna share? Got loads more in the car." He made a grab for her arm.

But she backed away and held up her hand in front of her body. She didn't know if it was to keep him away or to defend herself. "No, but thank you." Was that really her voice? It sounded like a freaked mouse! She cleared her throat and repeated her earlier words, more confident this time.

"C'mon…" He encouraged, making a clumsy step to follow her retreating form. "We'll have fun, promise."

She started to panic when he kept advancing forward. "Don't worry sweet…I'ma take good care o' ya." He grinned and she could feel his eyes roam her body hungrily. It was disgusting. "How much you want?"

"I said no. Now please remove yourself so I can pass through." Panic was quickly replaced by anger. Hoe dare he take her for a whore?

He ignored it and kept walking toward her; if she kept walking backward she would soon be standing on the road.

Suddenly he moved, she didn't have time to react as he lunged for her, he had her arms in a dead grip and started dragging her toward a car she had failed to notice standing a little down the street.

"Let me go you bastard!" The panic was back and much stronger than before. He just laughed at my struggling attempts to get free.

"Now now, calm down and let me show you a good time." He grinned at me and kept sure she had no access to kick his groin.

A scream ripped free from my throat, she didn't know what else to do and the panic clouding her better judgment was not helping.

He slapped her hard. "Quiet, bitch!"

Warm blood dripped down her chin. "Let me go! You piece of shit!" Tears were clouding her vision. She was truly scared now.

He saw this and brought one of her hands to his face; he bit down on her pinky finger and chuckled. Never once did he stop dragging her toward the white car.

"Please!" She was begging, terror flowing through her veins like poison. The Adrenalin was making her heartbeat quickening and her whole body shook, ready to act quickly. "Let me go! No! You fucking rapist!" She kept screaming the same words over and over, hoping desperately that someone would hear and come to her rescue.

She thrashed wildly, trying to get free from his iron grip. But no matter what she did the car kept coming closer every time she saw it.

There was a sudden screech of tires and a car door being slammed shut with unnecessary force. She looked toward the sound and saw a black sports car parked right behind them. Someone was hurrying toward them.

The man's grip slackened at the new arrival. Obviously things were not going according to the plan.

She screamed and used the weakened grip to her advantage. He let go of her right arm, but yanked her back to him before she could get away.

"Hey!" A male shouted. "What the hell are you doing? Let her go!"

She looked back up in hoped of being rescued. She barely had time to register glowing amber and a lot of crimson before the new arrival sucked her captor straight in the jaw. A sickening crack was heard before he howled in pain.

He let her go, but instead of falling to the ground a pair of strong arms caught hold of her shoulder and waist to steady her.

Her eyes rose to meet shocking amber eying her with concern. "Are you okay?" His grip on her slacked, but he didn't let go.

Her mouth opened, but nothing came out. It was like she forgot how to form words. So instead she nodded her head weakly.

His eyes softened considerably at the weak response. Her whole body shook visibly. "Come on." He started guiding the woman toward his car. Her eyes widened and she started resisting at being forced into another car. "I won't hurt you. You just need to sit down for a moment while I call the police." His gentle voice soothed her fried nerves and she let him guide her across the sidewalk.

She glanced back at the unconscious man behind them. Blood was seeping from his mouth and nose. And a little white thing was lying beside him…a tooth? She shivered and returned her eyes to the approaching car.

The red haired man opened the passenger door and gently pushed her down on the soft leather seat. "Stay here and just close the door if you feel cold." He turned and walked back to the fallen man, fishing out his cell phone on the way.

He crouched down beside his head as he spoke into the cell. Kaoru could hear his voice but couldn't grasp the words.

As he rose to his feet again Kaoru took the chance to observe him. He seemed to be slightly taller than her. His stance screamed authority and discipline. He wore slightly baggy gray sweatpants and a black coat, showing off his lean and slightly muscular body quiet well.

He turned to look at her, his amber eyes locking on hers the instant they met. She saw him nod once and voice a few more words before flipping the phone shut and heading toward her.

With a jolt she found she missed the soothing sound of his silky voice. It was a welcomed distraction.

"The police and an ambulance are on their way now." He crouched down in front of her to look at her again. "Himura Kenshin." He offered his hand.

She eyed him before hesitantly placing her hand in his slightly bigger…and much warmer, she noted with a hint of jealousy. "Kamiya Kaoru."

He let go of her hand gently, as if not to scare her. "Do you want to tell me what happened?" He asked, tilting his head slightly to the right and looked at her curiously.

She looked down to her fidgeting hands in her lap. "I…I was walking home. And suddenly he jumped up from nowhere and asked me if I wanted to come with him." She paused to draw a ragged breath. "I said no, but he just kept getting more insistent. I refused and tried to walk away but he grabbed me and dragged me toward his car." She pointed at the white car still parked a little away from them.

"I tried to kick him and screamed at him to let me go, he slapped me and shouted at me to shut up. Then he kept pulling me to the van and you showed up." She summed it up.

He lifted his hand from his lap and stroked her forearm lightly. "Don't worry, he won't hurt you. You can charge him for attempted kidnapping, abuse, and maybe sexual harassment if he tried something in that direction."

She swallowed heavily and settled for a nod.

A few minutes later the wailing sirens from the police car rang through the quiet street. One police officer made his way toward the man lying on the cold concrete while his partner immediately headed to Kaoru and Kenshin.

"We got a call?" The male officer asked. Kenshin confirmed and rose back to his feet.

Two seconds later an ambulance steered into the street. They brought out a stretcher and carefully maneuvered the drunken man onto it and carried him back to the ambulance. A second later it pulled back onto the street and drove off.

The second officer came back. "They said his jaw was dislocated and he lost two teeth." She said.

The first officer nodded and turned back to them. "If you will please come down to the station with us, we'll get this straightened up and you can go home."

He exchanged a few words with Kenshin before the two teams parted and drove separately to the police station. Kaoru rode with Kenshin.

* * *

An hour later the two of them exited through the front door of the station.

"Where do you live?" Kenshin broke the silence.

Kaoru eyed him suspiciously. "What's it to you?" It never hurt to be cautious.

Kenshin offered her a hearty smile. "Just that I can give you a ride home if that's alright. I doubt you want to walk home now." He gestured toward the black sports car parked a few yards away.

Kaoru weighted the offer before accepting and walked beside him to his car. She doubted the man who had just saved her was going to hurt her in the first round. And it would take ca. 30 minutes to walk home, while it would merely take a few minutes to drive.

He striked up a light conversation as soon as they shut the car doors and he turned on the engine.

"We are here." Kenshin stated as he pulled up in front of a two storey house.

Kaoru turned to thank him for driving her home and turned back around to exit the car. "Wait!" He called before she left the car completely. "Are you going to be alright?" He asked again.

"Yes, I'll be fine. And thanks again." She stood and started to close the door when he spoke again.

"Can I have your phone number?" At her pointed look he quickly added. "I just want to keep in touch, and keep tabs that you really are alright and that it's not just something your saying to chase me away."

She nodded slowly and voiced the numbers as he punched them in on his cell. "See ya." She nodded her goodbyes and shut the car door and headed toward the house in front of her.

* * *

"Kaoru! There's a delivery for you." Kaoru groaned mentally. From the amount of amusement contained in that statement she could tell her mother was about to burst into an uncontrolled laughter.

It was three days since that night. And she was having a difficult time suppressing the memories and locking them away in the back of her head.

"Coming." She shouted and headed toward the entrance door. "What?"

Her mother turned around, a huge teasing smile covered her delicate features. "Is there something you want to tell me?" She turned fully. And Kaoru felt her eyes widen at the beautiful bouquet of flowers. Her mother sniffed them. "And they smell wonderful!"

"Those are for me?" Kaoru was sure her eyebrows had long since disappeared in her hairline.

Her mother nodded and handed them to her. "I'm sure he is a wonderful man. At least the wedding will have excellent flowers!" She laughed evilly and walked away, leaving Kaoru flustered with the bouquet.

She shrugged and looked for a card. She found it quickly and read the messy scrawls in black ink.

Her mouth quirked against her will.

_Kaoru – _

_I completely forgot to give you my number, so I attached my business card to the other side. Don't hesitate to call me if you ever need a knight in sweatpants and a car to come to thy rescue! _

_-Kenshin_

She smiled gleefully. She flipped the little card and noted the number before heading to the kitchen to get a vase and water.

There was no doubt in her mind whether she should call him or not. Who knew, maybe he could save her from all the unoriginal assholes?

So far he had given her a good impression and apparently her mother approved. She grinned and picked up her phone from the nightstand, pushing the digits and bringing it up to her ear.

A few rings later he picked up. "_Hey, Kaoru_." She was taken aback a second before she remembered he already had her number and could see her caller ID.

"Hey. I was wondering if you could squeeze in some time in for me in the near future?"

"_That won't be a problem. You free this Saturday?_"

"Yeah, I believe I am."


	4. Marry Me?

**Marry Me?**

The furious winds outside beat down hard and cold on the wall, viciously throwing around the heavy snowflakes. The voices floating through the radio had announced a few moments ago that the winds would not be letting up anytime soon. Neither would the snow.

Instead of heading home after a day at the ice rinks: Kenshin, Kaoru, Soujiro, Sano, and Misao had decided it would be nice to drop by Megumi's house and bug her for a while. That's how they ended up in the positions they were in now.

They were all crowded around Megumi's fireplace. Megumi and Sano had cuddled up in the love seat. Sano laid on his back, with Megumi curled up on his chest. Soujiro and Misao were in the middle of a heated discussion about gasses and poisons. The other four present were left feeling pleased with themselves whenever they managed to get a comment squeezed in.

Kaoru snuggled closer into the toned chest of her boyfriend, running her fingers through his shocking crimson hair. Kenshin turned his attention from the discussion and settled his warm amber eyes on the woman in his arms. He pulled her closer and dropped a kiss to her forehead. Kaoru pouted.

"You call that a kiss?" They were snuggled together in one of Megumi's older and fluffier chairs. Kenshin chuckled and kissed the corner of her mouth teasingly.

"Mmm," Kaoru moaned lazily and turned her head to seek out his lips. Kenshin sucked lightly at her bottom lip before claiming her lips in a passionate kiss.

"Is it just me or did the temperature rise in here?" Soujiro shouted from his seat in a chair. Misao joined him and laughed loudly.

"Get a room!" Kenshin broke away from the heated lip lock with his girlfriend and grinned madly at them.

"And for your information, that will not be the only thing rising tonight." From his place on the love seat, Sano snickered softly to himself. He hoped the redhead would have the guts to finally pop the question, but never in a million years had he thought he would do it in front of other people. He glanced down at Megumi and their joined hands. Their engagement rings smiled happily back at him, telling everyone she was spoken for.

"Kaoru…" Kenshin smiled gently and got down on one knee in front of her. He took both her hands and held them carefully within his own bigger and calloused fingers. The room had turned deadly quiet, their friends seeming to hold their breaths. Kaoru's world spun and she felt lightheaded.

"Oh my god…" She was all she managed to choke out.

"I have known you all my 24 years of life, nevertheless, never have I met someone like you." He continued like she had never spoken, then paused for a moment, gazing lovingly into her shocked sapphire eyes. "Do you remember when you were the flower girl in your aunt's wedding? And how you came to me afterwards, telling me how amazing it had been? We used the rest of that day to plan our wedding. Do you remember that?"

Already wide sapphire eyes threatened to fall out of their eye sockets. "_You_ remember that? I was six!" She looked horrified.

Kenshin laughed. "Yes. I told you that I would not allow anyone other than me to stand up by the alter with you. That I would fight to make you mine." He took a deep breath and let go of her hands. He pulled out a little box from his right pocket and held in up in front of her. "Kaoru, koishii. My intentions are still the same. I want to be the man you give yourself to, I want to be the one you desire, I want to be the one you will spend the rest of your live with. I want to be the one, standing by the alter, smiling and hearing the words 'I do' spoken from your lips."

Never looking away from her eyes, he popped the box open to reveal a ring in white gold with a small sapphire stone in the middle. "Marry me?"

All Kaoru could do was stare as all the eyes in the room fixed on her. A little sniff was heard from Misao as she wiped away a tear. "Kenshin…" Kaoru breathed. "I don't…"

His smile faltered at her response, he had been prepared for any kind of reaction. Crying, a slap, shouting, silence…but with the way this was going, he was being rejected. The mere thought stabbed mercilessly at his heart. Then a smile broke onto her face.

"Oh Kenshin! You have no idea how long I have been waiting for this!" She dropped to her knees in front of him as he slid the ring onto her slender finger.

Kenshin laughed happily and embraced her in a loving hug, burying his face in her hair. "I love you."

A lone tear of happiness made its way happily down her soft cheek. "I love you too."


End file.
